You're Late, Barton
by Penelopee13
Summary: Two-shot about our favorite couple! It's based a few months after Loki's invasion and in both of their POVs. Pictures on my profile! Enjoy and review!(:
1. Chapter 1

You're Late, Barton.

_He was supposed to be back hours ago! Why isn't he back or why hasn't he called?_ My thoughts practically screamed as the music blast in my ears from my iPod and I punch the dummy I am sparring with. "Where are you, Clint?"

I keep practicing until I fall to my knees breathless and yank the buds out of my ears. I run my hands through my sweaty hair and stand turning to see Dr. Bruce Banner standing there. "Hey."

"Hey. You okay? You've been in here since four this morning." He says and raises a brow.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm fine. Just trying to relax." I nod and grab my water taking a long drink trying to make my mind shut off the frantic thoughts.

"It's Clint, isn't it?" He asks and I close my eyes making them look calm.

"What about him? He's not even here." I shrug and sit bouncing my knee.

"And you are worried about him…" Bruce crosses his arms and looks down at me.

"Well, h-he is my partner, Banner." I stammer and sigh. _Get a hold of yourself, Widow! It's just Clint._

"Yeah…" He grins and turns to leave as I sit thinking of excuses as to why Clint is late.

_Clint's mission was just a bit harder than we thought and he'll be rushing in the door unscathed any minute now…He's just trying to make me worry, just like does with me. Yeah, that's it…he's just messing with me._

_"Barton's been compromised_." I hear Coulson's voice in my head and I flinch getting up to go to the 53rd floor of the Tower which is our level. I put my water and iPod down thinking of ways to distract myself. I sigh feeling my hand move around the wedding ring on my necklace and look down. "Come home, Clint."

I growl to myself and tuck the necklace back in my shirt turning to go to the large bathroom for a bath. "JARVIS, run a hot, bubble bath please."

"Yes, Mrs. Romanoff." The robotic voice says and I hear the water start running. I. strip down and pull the silver chain off my neck to look at diamond band with tearful eyes. I slide it on my finger for the first time in months remembering that mission in Rio three years ago.

_"Come on, Nat! This is our chance to be together and we don't have to tell anyone." Clint practically begs holding my hands and looking in my eyes. "You already know I love you more than anything in the world and I know you love me too. I see it in your eyes, Tasha."_

I smile faintly and slip in the tub leaning my head back as my body slowly relaxes. I close my eyes and sigh. "JARVIS, play Clint's most played music."

"Of course, Mrs. Romanoff." The voice says and Coldplay starts to play softly.

I slowly get out of the tub pulling on underwear, bra and shorts on before turning to search in the closet for a shirt. I stop when I find one of Clint's S.H.I.E.L.D hoodies and bring it to my face inhaling his scent deeply. I quickly pull it on and go to our room groaning when I hear someone coming up through the elevator. I go to the living room seeing Tony and Steve looking around.

"Hey, Red." Tony says and enters the kitchen area looking in the fridge.

"Stark. Get out of my kitchen or I will make sure that piece of shrapnel gets to your heart." I hiss crossing my arms and glare at him as he steps away.

"I told him not to bother you, Natasha. I'm sorry." Steve says and I shrug.

"Not your fault. I'm just going to bed, I don't feel well." I say turning to walk back to the bedroom.

"If you are worried about Katniss, I can locate him." Tony says and I stop looking over my shoulder. "I can tap into S.H.I.E.L.D's tracking on him and find where he's at."

"Do it." I nod and enter the bedroom shutting the door quite loudly. I crawl in bed telling JARVIS to shut the curtains and turn the lights off so I can sleep.

.*.*.OoO.*.*.

_I smile faintly looking in the mirror seeing myself in all white and lace while Clint dresses in a black suit and tie. He comes behind me placing his hands on my waist and kisses my shoulder. "So beautiful…"_

_"Clint… I love you." I pull his arms around me as I turn to face him and smile looking at him. Our eyes break away from each other to look at the window with quirked brows as we hear helicopter blades from above and we grab our preferred weapons._

I jump awake gun in hand hearing actual helicopter blades from outside and I jump up running to the elevator to go up to the main living room. I aim the gun in front of me and the doors opens to reveal Thor with his hammer, Steve shield in hand, Tony looking arrogant, Bruce sleepy eyed but frustrated and finally Clint with various cuts, bruises and burns.

"Going to shoot me, Nat?" He says with a slight smirk that I know too well and I lower the gun slowly walking closer.

"You're late, Barton." I cross my arms looking at him and tilt my head, my eyes wandering over the cut on his temple.

"Ran into some trouble, like always." He shrugs then winces losing his grip on his bow and I step forward not letting it slip through his fingers or mine. I press my other hand to the center of his chest to help him stay up right knowing he won't want to show weakness to everyone else and look up at him. "Knife wound on my back."

"Let's get you to our floor and I'll take care of it." I slip his bow into my hand and pull his arm over my shoulders.

"I'll look at him, Natasha." Bruce says and I shake my head slightly.

"I got this, Banner. We've patched each other up too any times to count." I say leading Clint to the elevator while everybody watches us and I push the right floor number keeping quiet until we get there.

"Nat, I'm sorry..." Clint starts and I stop him by kissing him softly. I look up at him and try to blink back tears. "Oh, baby...I scared you that badly?"

I shake my head and help him get to the bathroom to sit him on the edge of the tub. "You're just never late and it was your first solo mission after the whole Loki thing..."

Clint takes my hands pulling me to him and kisses my forehead. "You know I will always come home to you whether I'm two weeks late or two weeks early."

I nod hugging him tightly and sit back on my heels to unbuckle his quiver of few arrows. I lay them behind me and he starts to unzip his vest as I get a cool cloth. I sit on my knees in front of him and gently clean the cut on his temple as he removes his wrist guards and gloves. "What happened?"

"I had everything done and was practically out of the building when this idiot yelled "Hey, that's Hawkeye!" and two guards grabbed me." Clint answers and watches my face as he pushes his vest off gritting his teeth. "I wanted to shoot the guy then but that might have made things worse."

"You think?" I stand to pull off his undershirt and sigh seeing the bruises. "Managed to keep this safe, eh?" I smile and run my fingers along the silver chain holding the wedding band and arrow with a golden Hawk's eye on it I gave him years ago.

"Of course." Clint smiles placing his hand over mine on his heart and runs his finger along my ring. "You're wearing yours?"

I smile softly and nod lacing our fingers together on his chest. "I really missed you, Clint."

"I missed you too, beautiful." He kisses my cheek winking and stands turning to let me clean the cuts on his back. "God, that stings..."

"Sorry, babe." I kiss his shoulder and finish by putting some bandages on the gash under his shoulder. "That's going to hurt for a few days."

"Tell me about it…" Clint mutters and kicks off his boots taking knifes and two guns out of his belt. I slide my hand in his side pockets to pull out extra weapons only we know about. "Hey. Watch it."

"What?" I look at him and my hands freeze thinking he's hurt on his legs too.  
He grabs me pulling me around to his front and holds my waist. "What if I had something in there you don't need to know about?"

"Like what?" I raise a brow and looks up him with my hands on his sides.

Clint pulls something from his pocket and I gasp softly seeing a smile red velvet box. He looks me in the eyes and smiles softly opening the box. "Another reason why I was late...I owe you this from a long time ago when you told me what kind of ring you would want. Remember that?"

I nod looking at the ring shocked and tears up seeing the black diamond in the center, aquamarine stones surrounding it in a square and diamonds along the band.

"I know we agreed to keep this a secret and we still can if that's what you want but I want people to know you are mine. I love you so much and I want everyone to know that." He grins sliding the ring on my finger and kisses me softly.

I cup his face and smile standing on my toes to hug him tight. "If they see my rings and ask then we tell them, I promise."

"I love you, Nat." He kisses my lips repeatedly and holds me close. "I'll change and we'll go to bed."

I nod and stop him taking his ring off the chain to put it on his finger. "There."

Clint leans his head into my neck nuzzling and just holds me as I wrap my arms around him. We grin at each other and I help him get changed into some shorts. I take his hand and lead us through to the bedroom to get in. I let him get situated not wanting him to be in pain and curl up into his side laying my head on his chest. "Goodnight, baby."

"'Night, beautiful." Clint says kissing my head and rubs my back a we finally fall asleep comfortably safe in each others arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two ~ Clint's POV:**

_I crouch down around the corner to see a guy coming to me with a gun. I shoot him dead in the heart and notice another guy on the roof looking at him; I shoot him in the chest. "Good shot, Barton."_

_I smirk hearing Loki's voice in my head and I walk through towards a padlocked door. I hand off my bow to someone as they pass and set up the device to scan the eye of a man I've never even met. I nod seeing the hologram of the man's eye and walk in to get the iridium installation device I was order to get. _

_"Attack the Helicarrier; take it out of the sky." Loki orders in my head and I nod to myself thinking of the people I would kill in the process. I grab my bow and take the orders like a good solider. _

_I walk on the tram and hear the quiet steps behind me I knew so well. I draw an arrow and turn hitting Natasha Romanoff, my partner with my bow as she grabs it. The arrow flies by her and we fight hand-to-hand until I hit my head on the railing._

_"Good shot, Barton…Take it out of the sky…Kill everyone necessary…" Loki hisses in my head and I shake my head fighting against my restraints. _

I open my eyes suddenly and groan turning closer to warm body against my left side pulling Natasha closer. I sigh realizing the nightmares are just the past and nuzzle my face into Nat's neck. I breath in her scent of vanilla, roses and something uniquely her holding her close to me. I smile as her arms tighten around my middle and I place small kisses along her neck.

"Clint…" She giggles softly and buries her face further in my shoulder yawning.

I chuckle and rub her back gently continuing the kisses along the hollow of her neck. "Morning, beautiful. Sleep well?"

"Mhmmm…" She nods and stretches her legs against mine leaning back to look at me sleepily. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep." I shrug and lay back turning my head to look at her. I smile softly seeing her big green eyes bright from waking up, her short fiery curls a mess, no makeup, and wearing one of my S.H.I.E.L.D sweatshirts. _I couldn't have killed her for Loki, I couldn't all those years ago._

"You alright there, Hawk?" Nat's voice breaks me loose of my thoughts like always and she gets up to walk around to our bathroom.

"Yeah, just thinking. JARVIS, let's see outside." I say and watch as the darkened windows change to see out to an overcast sky.

"Yes, Sir. Today is Thursday, January 10, 2013. It is supposed to stay in the mid 30's, cloudy with a chance of snow flurries all day." The robotic voice automatically and I get up to go in the bathroom.

"Thank you, JARVIS." I say and stop when Nat touches my shoulder.

"Let me look at your cut before you shower." She says and I nod leaning my elbows on the counter beside the sink. She peels away the bandages and cleans off the sticky residue left.

"Any better?" I ask looking over my shoulder at her turning to she cut in the mirror and sigh seeing it's a decent sized cut along the curve of my shoulder blade. "The bow won't be used for a while…"

"I advise not to, it could really hurt." Nat says and kisses my shoulder gently. "Go get in the shower and we'll eat breakfast with everyone else."

I nod and strip down to get in the shower watching where the water hits on my back. I step out grabbing a towel and smile seeing Nat get dressed. She pulls on skinny jeans and a long sleeve deep purple shirt I gave her for her birthday with black boots. I let out a low whistle and grin grabbing some boxers.

"Oh stop it!" Nat looks at me in the mirror with a smile and starts applying her makeup.

"Must you wear that stupid makeup?" I ask coming behind her to hug her waist tight kissing her neck. "You're so beautiful without it."

"Only to you, Clint." She sighs leaning into me and closes her eyes gently. "I missed you so much…"

I sigh and hug her tighter to me nuzzling my face in her neck. "I missed you too, Nat. I hate solo missions…they're too lonely and quiet."

She nods and kisses my temple gently running her hands along my arms. I catch her left hand in mine playing with her rings and look at her in the mirror. I feel her fingers lace through mine and she smiles softly.

"You sure about the team finding out? Stark will tell everyone." I look at her and sigh watching her look down at our hands.

"I'm ready for them to know…they deserve to. If we can trust them to help protect us then I think this will help them understand why we are so close." She says turning to look at me and strokes my jaw.

I smile pressing my lips to hers in a soft kiss and hold her waist close. "Wait, you actually listened to me?! I've been telling you for months now that they will like that we are being honest and we have to trust them."

"I know, I know!" Nat rolls her eyes and pushes me gently. I quickly grab her hips pulling her closer. "We let them find out on their own though."

I nod and kiss her forehead turning to pull on some jeans with a short sleeve grey shirt. "Then we act no different, just like we do normally with them."

She nods and runs her fingers through her short hair to tousle them more. I sigh fixing my shirt more and turn to pull on some black boots.

"Come on, I'm hungry." She takes my hand leading me to elevator at the front wall of the living room area. I lace our fingers and punch the right floor number wanting to just savor this last minute alone with her. I pull her close and kiss her head gently hugging her tight.

We pull apart as the doors open and see the rest of the team getting ready to sit down for breakfast that Pepper and Bruce are currently making. I step in going to grab myself a cup of coffee in the mug Tony designated to me and pours some black coffee in. I take a sip from the black and purple mug with all kinds of targets around it. Nat grabs her mug down and I pour the coffee in. Hers is black as well but with the Black Widow symbol around it.

I wink at her and she smiles softly going to sit down in her normal spot. I follow her and sit on her right watching the others sit around the table.

"We're glad you're back, Clint." Pepper smiles at me and I nod my thanks as I load my plate with eggs, bacon, toasts and fried potatoes.

"Yes, we missed the piggy habits!" Nat shoves my shoulder and shakes her head. I push back chuckling and she gets some eggs and toast.

"Yeah, bird boy…it hasn't been as fun around here." Tony sits back in his seat eating and takes Pepper's hand.

"Yes, master archer! I missed your antics!" Thor boomed munching on his pop tarts with a fair skinned, dark haired girl at his side.

"Oh, Clint. That's Jane Foster. She'll be staying with Thor for a few weeks." Nat says and sips her coffee. I nod and smile at the new woman.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Foster. Clint Barton, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and Nat's partner." I nod and sit back as Nat grips her mug in both hands.

"Patners!" Tony snorts and Pepper rolls her eyes. "What? They have to be together! Look at them; she doesn't let anyone touch her but him. They're both so relaxed and calm with each other!"

I glance at Nat and she rolls her eyes sitting back with her mug in both hands. I lean my chair back balancing on the back legs and rest one arm on the back of Nat's chair casually. "Oh yes, Stark. Please keep telling us how we are 'together'."

"Well, she was freaking out about you being late, not eating, just wanting to sleep and even asked me to find you. The first thing out of your mouth, Barton is asking how she is and where she's at." Tony looks at us and Bruce nods.

"She did seem really distressed without you here." Banner shrugs and Nat tenses.

"She did say she didn't feel good and want to sleep." Steve nods and I sigh.

"Nat, давайте просто сказать им. Они явно не могу пятно в происходящем." I whisper in Russian looking at Nat and she sighs rolling her eyes. (Nat, let's just tell them. They obviously can't spot what's going on.)

"Они слишком глупо реализовать очевидные ..." She sips her coffee and looks over at me then Pepper. "Do you remember when I was Natalie Rushman?" (They're too stupid to realize the obvious…)

Pepper nods and I watch Nat as she talks about her mission to evaluate Tony for the Avengers Imitative. I remember how she would call me every night to talk until she fell asleep and then Skype me in the morning so we could see each other.

"Well, remember how I said Natalie was married to someone she worked with?"

Pepper nods and smiles softly. "Yes, you said you loved him more than anything and it was hard to be so far away from him. You described him as very handsome with dark blonde hair, short in length, blue-grey eyes, muscular, quick witted, and incredible at archery…."

She gasps softly and looks at me as I put my arm around my wife.

"I never lied about him." Nat grins and looks at me. "I love him too much to."

I smile then laugh seeing everyone else stares at us and kiss Nat's cheek and she takes my hand above her shoulder lacing our fingers.

"I love you too, Mrs. Barton."


End file.
